Foolish Concepts of Patriotism

[rajasaranam]

Excellent thought, Joe!! Another example would be the erstwhile USSR breaking down into many independent countries.

As all thinks USSR is not 'United states of soviet Russia' but is 'Union of soviet socialist Republics' which means that it forms a union of different countries and cultural groups coming under one roof with common agenda. The USSR declared the rights of the countries that ' they were free to be in this union or can get separated anytime they wish to from the union' . So it should be understood that USSR did not not break into many independent countries but it was already many independent countries and as the union got dissolved the countries were left alone after '1991'.

[Manoj Kumar]

Patriotism has been wrongly understood by most of the people. This can be due to the influence of certain so-called-nationalist parties/organization, which has given totally a wrong idea.

Truly patriotic means following certain principles, which brings pride and prosperity to the people of their country.
Most of the hypocrites who claim themselves to be nationalists define patriotism by just giving lengthy speeches usually bashing other non-friendly nations. They have their own set of right-wing/ fascist/ sectarian ideologies which creates discord and disharmony among citizens. They can go to any extent even harming their own harmless fellow citizens, who disagree/ oppose their ideologies.

...The fanatics who spread violence in the name of religion are worse than terrorist and more dangerous than an alien enemy... (Quoted in the Supreme Court judgment in the Best Bakery Case)

Every normal individual, following the following principles is a real patriotic.

1. Having Ethics as the basic principle

2. Integrity/ honesty/ truthfulness

3. Understand their responsibility in the society and carry out them diligently.

4. Respect to the laws & rules. (Ex.--- Like following all the traffic rules even if the policeman is not there.)

5. Respect to the rights or concern for other fellow citizens. (Ex.--- Don’t smoke in public places, when others are around, stop playing music loud at your home/shop, it can disturb your neighbours).

6. Not accepting bribe is OK. Do not also give bribe. The one who gives is also as much guilty as the one who accepts. The giver encourages this system. Let us discourage this by refusing to give bribe. ( Ex.--- don’t try briding the traffic policeman, when you are caught violating certain traffic rules, instead pay the fine)

7. I strongly believe that it is an ethical duty of all the educated and privileged people to care and uphold at least one or few backward, uneducated, and underprivileged peoples. (Ex.--- support at least one under privileged child for his/her study).

8. Most important is do your work sincerely with time punctuality. You not doing your work properly can influence the entire chain of work. You not moving a file from your department can delay or cancel someone else job. Never deprive someone of anything because of your disregard or negligence. It can be any job. When you do your work to your at most ability in the stipulated time, this improves the productively of the country. When the productivity is high, people get work, they earn. Once they earn they also spend… they buy more than their basic needs… to cater their need… more business are opened… this creates more job. Ultimately, there is prosperity of the nation.

In conclusion, patriotism is not just loving your geological location or hating other non-friendly countries. But taking responsibility for self, being accountable for the work, respecting the rules and regulations, not being indifferent to fellow humans in need, following certain principles for righteous living, and above all being productive which will lead to the growth and development of all the fellow citizens.

[Sandeep]

For me patriotism is about loving your country and thats all.

By your rules in India there are no patriots. Any Indian would have broken at least one of your rules.

[Manoj Kumar]

Hi Sandeep,
Firstly, these are not rules; these are just basic principles, which are not difficult to follow. You just need will power to overcome certain shortcut/ selfish methods in your normal everyday living.

It is always easy to point your fingers at politicians, bureaucrats, and law enforcement authorities for the mess in the country. However, nobody likes to do his/her duty or responsibility towards the society. Everybody loves easy living by any shortcut method, thinking it is not a big crime. Small drops of water finally become an ocean. Therefore, the mess is created by us the ordinary citizens.

Love without action is as good as dead. Loving your country is not a feeling but it is an action.
If one doesn’t DO the right thing for his country, he is definitely not loving his country, he is selfish. He just feels that he loves his country and fools himself.

[ssanjinika]

In my opinion Patriotism is
Not bringing down another country but bringing your country up.
In other words its not raising slogans against Pakistan
but
its not spitting on the roads,
its not throwing a banana peel on the road,
its paying taxes,
its not bribing the traffic constable when you ran a red light,
its standing in attention when Jana Gana Mana is played,
its not fighting for some obscure peice of land in Hoganikkal.
Its all these small small things.

[Manoj Kumar]

I totally agree with ssanjinika’s view. We should be more disciplined and must care for other’s right too.

[Sandeep]

Hi Sandeep,
Firstly, these are not rules; these are just basic principles, which are not difficult to follow. You just need will power to overcome certain shortcut/ selfish methods in your normal everyday living.

It is always easy to point your fingers at politicians, bureaucrats, and law enforcement authorities for the mess in the country. However, nobody likes to do his/her duty or responsibility towards the society. Everybody loves easy living by any shortcut method, thinking it is not a big crime. Small drops of water finally become an ocean. Therefore, the mess is created by us the ordinary citizens.

I am not saying the rules ('principles' as u call them) are wrong. Ofcourse all those are good/right and important things that as a social animals all needs to follow. All I am saying is Patriotism is not a superset of all these qualities but one addition quality which is intermingled with others.

For Example - Following Law and Order

A person who kills his wife's rapist is breaking law. But does that make him unpatrotic, NO. But say a person denounces his country at an international forum is unpatriotic (what he is saying may be true and lawful).

Love without action is as good as dead. Loving your country is not a feeling but it is an action.
If one doesn’t DO the right thing for his country, he is definitely not loving his country, he is selfish. He just feels that he loves his country and fools himself.

I am sorry but Love is just a feeling whether its for a person or a country.

But if you call the feelings of someone who doesnt agree to you as fooling then there is no scope of debate.

It will be FOOLISH for a FOOL to argue with someone who considers him FOOl. (wow what does that mean )

[Sandeep]

In my opinion Patriotism is
Not bringing down another country but bringing your country up.
In other words its not raising slogans against Pakistan
but
its not spitting on the roads,
its not throwing a banana peel on the road,
its paying taxes,
its not bribing the traffic constable when you ran a red light,
its standing in attention when Jana Gana Mana is played,
its not fighting for some obscure peice of land in Hoganikkal.
Its all these small small things.

I dont like Pakistan - Am I unpatriotic
I am uneducated and have seem all people around me spitting on road and so by nature I spite on road. - Am I unpatriotic
Gandhiji said dont pay tax for salt - Was he unpatriotic
I will not get my license (even if I drive well) unless I bribe the RTO so I bribed - Am I unpatriotic
I was made to stand in heat from 8 in the morning to 1 PM till Jayapratha MP can. I was so tried I did stand during Jana Gana Mana - Am I unpatriotic

[Badri]

I was intrigued by this ongoing discussion and did a dictionary search for the exact meaning of Patriotism. Before each one of us in the Hub start giving out our own definitions of the word, let us consider what the dictionary defines it as:

Merriam Webster: Love for or devotion to one's country.

Another meaning from Dictionary.com says
Love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it

I think that about says it all!

[Manoj Kumar]

Another meaning from Dictionary.com says
Love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it

I think that about says it all!

Love and sacrifice are vague terms.
Just let us know, how does one love his country?
and what should one be willing to sacrifice?

I hope, I had answered that in my earlier posts.